Early reactions to the Batgirl screening weren’t all that bad

A new report suggests that, contrary to rumors, Batgirl was not canceled due to low quality and received a similar test score to Shazam 2.

The early Batgirl Screening tests weren’t so bad, according to a new report. Warner Bros. Discovery shocked the entertainment world with the announcement that they were dropping it Batgirl, even though the film has just finished shooting and has already spent roughly $90 million. It starred Leslie Grace (In the Heights) in the title role and also featured Brendan Fraser as the villain Firefly and Michael Keaton reprising his role as Batman.

Soon after the film’s cancellation, rumors began to circulate as to why Warner Bros. Discovery would abandon a film they had already shot. Warner Bros. released a statement saying the film didn’t fit the new direction the studio is taking with the DCEU films, and reports after the cancellation suggested the film was considered a small-scale story not suitable for cinemas, but also too expensive for broadcast. on HBO Max. Despite this, rumors began that the film was canceled due to quality, as Warner Bros. he didn’t want to release the film and risk damaging the DCEU brand.

Related: The future of Keaton’s Batman in the DCEU is looking really bad right now

However, it seems that was not the case, and the negative reaction Batgirl allegedly received in test screenings may have been exaggerated. In a report by THR following the cancellation of Batgirlnote that the study tested a cut Batgirl for an audience without completed VFX work and a temporary score. The film was tested in the 1960s, which while not a brilliant score, was also the same this was tested in 2017, and this film eventually went on to gross $701 million worldwide.

It’s also worth noting Batgirl tried the same as Shazam! fury of the gods according to the same report, that Warner Bros. has not canceled and will still be released in theaters. It also ignores the fact that Warner Bros. Discovery was also ruled out Scoob! Holiday haunt, which was reportedly very close to completion. The fact that two original HBO Max films were shelved indicates that the reason has less to do with the quality of each film and more to do with the studio’s new prioritization of theatrical distribution and how much are willing to spend on streaming material.

Although Batgirl‘s test was bad, a superhero movie being of low quality hasn’t stopped studios from releasing them in the past. Warner Bros. has a history of releasing DC superhero movies like this Jonah Hex, Green Lanternand in 2016 Suicide Squad, all of which were savaged by critics. Published by Sony Pictures morbius twice in theaters, and this film received some of the worst reviews for any superhero film released in the last twenty years. In a world where in 2015 The fantastic four i New Mutants it can be released in cinemas, it’s hard to believe Batgirl deserves to be kept on the shelf forever.

Next: Why Warner Bros. Canceled DC’s Batgirl Movie

Source: THR

Batgirl star Leslie Grace breaks silence on DC movie cancellation

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